Click or tap play on the video above, or click 'read more' if you'd like to see the full transcript and get links to all of the goodies Ben shared in his message.

 

Video Transcript:

As the calendar year and the first half of our Rotary year comes to a close, I'll be snuggling up to a winter break full of gratitude and renewal for a purposeful second half.

I coached high school football for many years and it's natural for me to think of this time of year as the final ticks of the clock before halftime. Sometimes we'd be rolling into it with a big lead, and other times, grateful to see the clock read zero so we could regroup and see the momentum shift. I imagine our clubs and Rotarians experiencing the same variation. Some are rolling into halftime fresh off of a hot start and lots of momentum with new members, completed fundraisers or projects and ready for the second half. Others may have just found their fitting or limped into halftime, ready for some adjustments and a new plan. Wherever you are, just know that there's a second half full of possibility and lots of teammates who want you to succeed.

It's been fantastic to see many of you during club visits and I continue to be inspired by all the amazing life changing work our clubs are doing. It’s remarkable to see all that members of our District clubs are doing. And, that includes all of the people that have said yes to District Leadership. From our District Committees, Assistant Governors and teams, to the District Governor team, there's a big group of people that want to see our clubs succeed and we're doing all we can to provide support. Speaking of the District Governor team, congratulations to Mike Kloss of the Eau Claire Morning Rotary club for being selected as our District Governor in 2025-2026. Our District leaders and clubs are certainly in good hands for years to come.

I'll be enjoying a mindful pause to spend extra time with family over the holiday season and I hope you all get a chance to relax, recharge and be ready for the second half of our Rotary Year! Very soon our attention will shift from this year, to preparing for the year ahead. We'll be diving into Rotary Trainings and development events like Vibrant Club Workshop on January 21st. That event is open to all Rotarians and registration will open very soon!

Our District leaders will gather for District Team Training in Feburary and our President Elects will be inspired and prepared at President Elect Training in March. Before we know it, we'll be together in April at TriCon our District Conference in La Crosse!

There's a lot to look forward to and the effort we put in now to prepare for a strong end to the current Rotary year, will pay big dividends as we look ahead to the next one. Just remember that you don't have to do any of it alone! Your club members and District leadership team are here to share and help build happy and strong clubs and Rotarians.

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!  Happy New Year to you all!

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